Glenn Babb

Last updated
Glenn Babb in Verona Glenn Robin Ware Babb - Glenn's Pics 161.jpg
Glenn Babb in Verona

Glenn Robin Ware Babb (4 June 1943 - 25 June 2024) [1] was a former politician and diplomat for the former apartheid government in South Africa. More recently he was a businessman and entrepreneur. From 1985 to 1987 he had a high-profile posting in Canada where he was his government's ambassador to Ottawa and made frequent public statements against the anti-apartheid movement and in defence of his government and in opposition to the movement for economic sanctions on and disinvestment from South Africa that the Canadian government was leading internationally. [2]

Contents

Babb was educated at Stellenbosch University and at Oxford having been awarded the Joerg Gosteli bursary. While at Oxford, he rowed with the Lincoln College VIII and was part of the first crew to attempt to beat the Guards' record of fifteen and half hours for rowing from Oxford to London. [3] Thereafter he joined South Africa's Department of Foreign Affairs. [2] He also earned a law degree from the University of South Africa with a distinction in Constitutional Law. [1]

Family

Glenn Babb was born in Johannesburg to Eric Ware Babb and Ora Constance Loverock, and was educated at St John's College, Johannesburg, a private school for boys. At St John's he was made Head of House and won the trophy for the best Drum Major in the Witwatersrand Command band competition. [1] His maternal great-grandfather, Charles Doering, came from a prominent Ontario family (United Empire Loyalists) which owned the Doering Stock and Dairy Farm in Chesterville, Ontario. [1] Charles Doering with his brother Frederick became the first dentists in Johannesburg. Frederick famously gave dental treatment to the imprisoned Leander Starr Jameson and his men after the Jameson Raid. Charles sent his son, Lawrence, to St John's College as a founder pupil in the Union Grounds. Five generations of his family have attended the same school. His paternal grandfather, Horace Edwin Babb, was once the owner of The Kraal, a house in Orchards, Johannesburg, where Gandhi took refuge. He later served on the South African Boxing Board of Control. Boxing was very much part of the family culture

Marriage

Glenn Babb married Tracey Dibb on 31 May 2003; Glenn Babb has two sons and two daughters. [1]

Early career

Babb worked as a schoolteacher in 1964 before continuing his education at Oxford University (Lincoln College). In 1967, he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs where he produced the book "Prison Administration in South Africa" while in the legal division of the Department. In 1969 he had his first overseas posting when he was assigned to the South African embassy in Paris where he served as secretary for three years. [4]

During this time he was made Chairman of the Young Diplomats Association of Paris. He returned to Pretoria in 1972 and was Training Officer with the Department. He authored the book "Training for the Diplomatic Service". [5]

In 1975, he returned to Paris where he was the embassy's counsellor and then in 1978, he moved to the South African embassy in Rome. [4] Here he was asked to play cricket for the first Italian international team against the Indian Globetrotters and played in two matches. In 1981, he again returned to South Africa to become head of the Africa Desk at the Department of Foreign Affairs and held that position for four years. [1]

Ambassador to Canada

Babb's mission as Ambassador to Canada began in 1985 while South Africa was in crisis and international pressure on Pretoria was mounting. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney threatened to break off diplomatic relations with the country when he spoke at the United Nations. [2]

During his two-and-a-half-year posting, Babb appeared on Canadian television more than 132 times and even more frequently on radio. He heavily lobbied politicians, journalists, intellectuals and universities in support of the Reagan Administration's policy of "constructive engagement" [2] rather than sanctions or divestment. Babb referred to apartheid as a relatively "benign policy" [6] and a means of controlling "urbanization" [6] and claimed that sanctions would harm South African blacks more than the white minority. [7] He also said of sanctions, "Whether you shoot the zebra in the white stripe or the black stripe," he said, "you are going to kill the zebra." [8] He claimed that the disruption of mineral production in South Africa was in the interests of the Soviet Union and that South Africa was the only force standing in the way of an expansion of Soviet intervention in the African continent. [8]

Many of Babb's appearances across Canada were met with protests. In 1985, when he was speaking at the University of Toronto's Hart House, anti-apartheid activist Lennox Farrell hurled the debating society's ceremonial mace at him. In Montreal, when entering the private Mount Stephen club to give a speech, club members and Babb were pelted with eggs and snowballs by protesters who called him "racist scum". [2] In 1986, Babb appeared on the CBC Radio program Sunday Morning to debate Montreal human rights lawyer Irwin Cotler. The appearance was picketed by 50 anti-apartheid activists. [9]

He was interviewed by the famous Jack Webster in Vancouver who told him: "You're doing very well, laddie". Elizabeth Grey of CBC spent a day with him and submitted her report for the broadcasting prize of 1985. His first interview after arrival in Ottawa was on "Crossfire" which immediately launched public interest in his frank and direct approach to what he regarded as the Canadian misapprehensions about South Africa's future. Southam News' E Kaye Fulton followed his activities through Canada for a week and wrote a thought-provoking article which caught the nuances of the South African diplomacy in transition. [10]

In an article in Fortune , Babb compared South Africa's treatment of its black population with Canada's treatment of Native peoples. "The media reaction was phenomenal, and some Indian leaders said I was on the right track," said Babb retrospectively. Accepting an invitation by Chief Louis Stevenson, Babb made a high-profile visit to a First Nations reserve, the Peguis Band in Manitoba, with media in tow, in order to press his point. [11] [12] Thereafter, delegations from the Indian representative body, the Assembly of First Nations, visited South Africa and gave credence to the view that there was indeed a comparative advantage for South African blacks. [13]

In 1987 he addressed the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario on the "Strategic Value of South Africa". [14]

Return to South Africa

In 1987, Babb was recalled to South Africa to take over as head of the Africa division and deputy director-general of the Department of Foreign Affairs. [15] As such, he initiated, after a meeting with President Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo, the Brazzaville talks for the withdrawal of South African troops from Angola and ending the country's involvement in the South African Border War. [1]

In the 1989 general election in South Africa, he entered politics as the ruling National Party's candidate in the constituency of Randburg. [16] He was the first ever National Party candidate to share an election platform with a black person. [17] [18] President F.W. de Klerk made a point of visiting his constituency during polling day. [19] He was eventually defeated by Wynand Malan, co-leader of the liberal Democratic Party. His was the only constituency which recorded an increase in voters for the NP which lost 31 seats in Parliament in the election. [20] He was nevertheless appointed to a seat in the South African parliament by F.W. de Klerk who, as State President, had the constitutional right to fill four seats in the House of Assembly, the whites-only chamber of the tricameral Parliament, through direct appointment. [21] [22] While in Parliament, he formed the Felix Trust. [23] Founded to promote peaceful race relations in South Africa, its first Trustees were Wendy Ackerman, Aggrey Klaaste, Peter Bedborough, Danie le Roux and Thijs Nel (and later Pieter Toerien): it donated a fountain "Peace in Africa" to the University of Pretoria, built ceramic housing with an innovative heating process and nominated Thuli Madonsela, Public Protector, for the Civil Courage Prize in New York where for the second time ever the Train Trust awarded an Honorable Mention to her. [24]

Babb subsequently left parliament after two years, in 1991, and returned to the Department of Foreign Affairs, serving as South Africa's ambassador to Italy [22] [25] During that time, South Africa established diplomatic relations with Albania, Malta and San Marino, to which he was accredited as ambassador. [26] He was appointed the first South African Permanent Representative to UN Food and Agriculture Organisation since 1963. [27]

Between 1991 and 1992, he participated in the Mozambican peace negotiations in Rome between RENAMO and FRELIMO under the aegis of the Rome Sant' Egidio community. [28] His role is mentioned positively in Sant' Egidio's report on the success of the Peace Protocol. [29] During his ambassadorship in Rome, he was nominated to be South Africa's Commissioner at the Venice Biennale in 1993 and 1995. South Africa participated for the first time in three decades again in 1993 with an impressive exhibition of several artists' work called "Incroce del Sud" which received good reviews. He was also appointed in 1991 by the Board of the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Testaccio as the administrator of the cemetery and presided over the 200th anniversary of Shelley's birth - both Shelley and Keats are buried in the cemetery. [30]

He also served as Commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Italy. In 1995, Babb left government service. [2] Later that year he became chairman of AGIP Lubricants. [31] From 1995 to 2002 he was a trustee of the Arthur Childe Army Award Trust.

In 1997 he was appointed Director of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. [32] A year later, he was appointed consultant to the government of the Western Cape and he continued in that role till 2002. In the same year, he was appointed Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Turkey with jurisdiction for the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces. [33]

In 1999 he arranged Profumo d'Italia Flavour of Italy with the backing of the Italian Ambassador and the Italian-South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the V&A Waterfront, a wide-ranging promotion of Italian goods which included a masked ball, two nights of opera, a gondola on the harbour, stands for Maserati and Alfa Romeo, two Italian film stars, Franco Nero and Claudia Pandolfi, who opened the Italian film evenings, Italian music in the Amphitheatre and Italian cooking and cheese-making lessons. Two million people visited the event. [34]

In 2005, his firm Babrius was appointed by the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries [ACP] aligned to the EU to write a report, "Study on the Future of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries" [35] which was published in French and English by the ACP in Brussels on 13 February 2006

Babb was chairman of the Owl Club, from 2006 to 2007, a gentlemen's club, in Cape Town. [1]

In 2010 he authored the monograph "Abubakr Effendi - A young Turk in Afrikaans" relating to the work of the Islamic scholar sent in the 19th Century by the caliph to instruct the Muslims of the Cape. [36] He has also been active with various business pursuits such as long-lasting milk [PARMALAT], oil lubricants, manufacturing, a tourism service, manufacturing wine vats and owning an office support and internet service. [2]

In January 2009 Babb was shortlisted for the position of Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD in the African Union. [37]

In December 2012 he published an article in the African Yearbook of Rhetoric on rhetorical action in diplomacy with specific reference to the relative fortunes of Indians in Canada and indigenous peoples in South Africa. [38] This led to an interview on CBC Radio. [39]

In July 2014 Babb was appointed chairman of the Ethics Committee of Southern Wind Shipyard and non-executive director of the company.

In September 2015 Babb organised the international Sol d'Oro Southern Hemisphere Olive Oil competition in Cape Town which ended with a gala prize-award evening at the residence of the first Italian ambassador to South Africa, Casa Labia. It was attended by the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, and the Minister of Agriculture, Alan Winde. [40]

He was elected Chairman of the Muizenberg Historical Conservation Society in December 2016. [41] In October 2018 he was elected Trustee of the Fish Hoek Valley Museum.

In 2022 he published his diplomatic memoirs under the title "In One Era and out of the Other" (Footprint Press) [42] In 2023 he published a book on Johannesburg and his family's history in the city under the title "My Joburg Family" [43]

Publications

Babb has published short stories and poetry, [44] articles on legal subjects, [45] and numerous other reports and articles, including:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F. W. de Klerk</span> Leader of South Africa from 1989 to 1994

Frederik Willem de Klerk was a South African politician who served as state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and as deputy president from 1994 to 1996. As South Africa's last head of state from the era of white-minority rule, he and his government dismantled the apartheid system and introduced universal suffrage. Ideologically a social conservative and an economic liberal, he led the National Party (NP) from 1989 to 1997.

The foreign relations of South Africa have spanned from the country's time as a Dominion of the British Empire to its isolationist policies under apartheid to its position as a responsible international actor taking a key role in Africa, particularly Southern Africa. South Africa is a member of the United Nations, the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations. Considered a possible permanent addition to the United Nations Security Council, South Africa was elected in 2006, 2010 and 2018 by the UN General Assembly to serve on the Security Council. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chair of the African Union from 2020 to 2021, the second time South Africa has chaired the organisation since its formation in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. W. Botha</span> Leader of South Africa from 1978 to 1989

Pieter Willem Botha, was a South African politician. He served as the last prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president of South Africa from 1984 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pik Botha</span> South African politician (1932–2018)

Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha, was a South African politician who served as the country's foreign minister in the last years of the apartheid era, the longest-serving in South African history. Known as a liberal within the party, Botha served to present a friendly, conciliatory face on the regime, while criticised internally. He was a leading contender for the leadership of the National Party upon John Vorster's resignation in 1978, but was ultimately not chosen. Staying in the government after the first non-racial general election in 1994, he served under Mandela as Minister of Mineral and Energy Affairs from 1994 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Commission of South Africa, Ottawa</span> Diplomatic mission of South Africa to Canada

The South African High Commission in Ottawa is the High Commission of South Africa in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 15 Sussex Drive in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa. Directly across the street from the embassy is 24 Sussex Drive the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada. East of the High Commission is 7 Rideau Gate, Canada's official guest house for visiting dignitaries. Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General of Canada is also nearby at 1 Sussex Drive.

1994 in South Africa saw the transition from South Africa's National Party government who had ruled the country since 1948 and had advocated the apartheid system for most of its history, to the African National Congress (ANC) who had been outlawed in South Africa since the 1950s for its opposition to apartheid. The ANC won a majority in the first multiracial election held under universal suffrage. Previously, only white people were allowed to vote. There were some incidents of violence in the Bantustans leading up to the elections as some leaders of the Bantusans opposed participation in the elections, while other citizens wanted to vote and become part of South Africa. There were also bombings aimed at both the African National Congress and the National Party and politically-motivated murders of leaders of the opposing ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 South African apartheid referendum</span> "Yes" vote by white South Africans to abolish apartheid

A referendum on ending apartheid was held in South Africa on 17 March 1992. The referendum was limited to white South African voters, who were asked whether or not they supported the negotiated reforms begun by State President F. W. de Klerk two years earlier, in which he proposed to end the apartheid system that had been implemented since 1948. The result of the election was a large victory for the "yes" side, which ultimately resulted in apartheid being lifted. Universal suffrage was introduced two years later for the country's first non-racial elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Israel–South Africa relations refer to the current and historic relationship between the Republic of South Africa and the State of Israel. As of January 2024, South Africa maintains only “limited political and diplomatic interaction” with Israel due to the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazil–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Brazil–South Africa relations are the bilateral relations between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa. Both nations are members of the BRICS, Cairns Group, G20, Group of 24, Group of 77 and the United Nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

The United States and South Africa currently maintain bilateral relations with one another. The United States and South Africa have been economically linked to one another since the late 18th century which has continued into the 21st century. United States and South Africa relations faced periods of strain throughout the 20th century due to the segregationist, white minority rule in South Africa, from 1948 to 1994. Following the end of apartheid in South Africa, the United States and South Africa have developed a strategically, politically, and economically beneficial relationship with one another and currently enjoy "cordial relations" despite "occasional strains". South Africa remains the United States' largest trading partner in Africa as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

There is a historical and current bilateral relationship between Ireland and South Africa. Both countries have established embassies in the territory of the other, in Dublin and Pretoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malawi–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Malawian-South African relations refers to the bilateral relationship between Malawi and South Africa. South Africa's first formal relationship with an independent African country was established with Malawi, beginning in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa–Turkey relations</span> Bilateral relations

South Africa–Turkey relations are the current and historical relations between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Turkey. Formal diplomatic relations were established at consular level in 1991 and consulates-general were opened in Istanbul and Johannesburg respectively. Both consulates were closed following the upgrading of relations to ambassadorial level in October 1992. South Africa has an embassy in Ankara. Turkey has an embassy in Pretoria. From 1998, Turkey has maintained a Consulate General in Cape Town with jurisdiction over the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces. The post is filled by the current incumbent in an honorary capacity, Adv Glenn Babb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Louw</span> South African diplomat and politician (1890–1968)

Eric Hendrik Louw was a South African diplomat and politician. He served as the Minister of Finance from 1954 to 1956, and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1955 to 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Netherlands–South Africa refers to the current and historical relations between the Netherlands and South Africa. Both nations share historic ties and have a long-standing special relationship, partly due to the Dutch colony in the Cape, linguistic similarity between Dutch and Afrikaans and the Netherlands' staunch support in the struggle against Apartheid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of Good Hope</span>

The Order of Good Hope or Order of the Cape of Good Hope is a dormant order of merit of the Republic of South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speech at the Opening of the Parliament of South Africa, 1990</span> 1990 speech by South African president F. W. de Klerk

On 2 February 1990, the State President of South Africa F. W. de Klerk delivered a speech at the opening of the 1990 session of the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town in which he announced sweeping reforms that marked the beginning of the negotiated transition from apartheid to constitutional democracy. The reforms promised in the speech included the unbanning of the African National Congress (ANC) and other anti-apartheid organisations, the release of political prisoners including Nelson Mandela, the end of the state of emergency, and a moratorium on the death penalty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indonesia–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Indonesia and South Africa established diplomatic relations on 12 August 1994. The South African Embassy in Jakarta was established on January 1995, and Indonesia opened its embassy in Pretoria in 1995. Both nations are members of numerous organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), Non-Aligned Movement, Indian-Ocean Rim Association, Cairns Group, CIVETS and G-20 major economies. In 2012, during a briefing on Foreign Policy initiatives for 2012, Indonesia named South Africa amongst its 14 strategic partners and Dutch Colonial Period East Indies Overseas Countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Korea–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

North Korea–South Africa relations refers to the bilateral relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Africa. North Korea maintains an embassy in Pretoria, while the South African ambassador to China is also accredited to North Korea.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mr Glenn Robin Ware Babb". Who's Who of Southern Africa. Media24 Digital. 6 January 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MacGregor, Karen (30 August 2003). "Apartheid envoy reviled in Canada". Globe and Mail (Toronto). Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Daily Mail" 9 June 1966
  4. 1 2 Southern Africa Today Archived 2 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine , Department of Foreign Affairs, 1989, Volumes 6-8, page 16
  5. ↑ South African Institute of International Affairs ISBN   0620000414(0-620-00041-4)
  6. 1 2 Rosenfeld, Erica, "Apartheid on way out, Babb insists ", The Globe and Mail, 27 October 1985
  7. ↑ Canadian Press, "Back Pretoria, envoy urges", The Globe and Mail, 18 November 1985
  8. 1 2 Cox, Kevin, "Envoy says South Africa hard done by," Globe and Mail, 17 October 1985
  9. ↑ "50 picket CBC over apartheid", Toronto Star, 21 January 1986
  10. ↑ Calgary Herald 22 May 1986
  11. ↑ South African ambassador to visit Peguis Indian Reserve Archived 25 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine , CBC Television, 9 March 1987
  12. ↑ An awkward visit Archived 4 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine , Maclean's , 23 March 1987
  13. ↑ "Rapport" 31 January 2016
  14. ↑ "International Conservative Insight" January February 1987 ISSN   0831-4268
  15. ↑ Gawith, Philip, "South African exporters come out into the open", Financial Times, 4 October 1990
  16. ↑ Outlaw Group Gains Among White South Africans Archived 2 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine , New York Times , 16 July 1989
  17. ↑ "Beeld" 18 July 1989, "Citizen" 19 July 1989, "The Star" 22 July 1989, "Business Day" 20 July 1989, "Pretoria News" 20 July 1989
  18. ↑ "Vrye Weekblad" 21 July 1989
  19. ↑ "Beeld" 7 September 1989, "Business Day" 7 September 1989 "Valeurs Actuelles" 25 September 1989
  20. ↑ "De Klerk's Party Wins By-Election Decisively" Archived 18 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Christopher S. Wren, The New York Times, 8 November 1990
  21. ↑ Reuters, "Electoral college approves de Klerk as president", Toronto Star, 14 September 1989
  22. 1 2 Financial Mail, Volume 121, Issues 5-9, page 44
  23. ↑ Drum: A Magazine of Africa for Africa, African Drum Publications, 1997, page xiii
  24. ↑ City Press 27 September 2015
  25. ↑ "South African Artists on Show at the Biennale" Archived 18 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Alan Cowell, The New York Times, 26 June 1993
  26. ↑ Who's Who of Southern Africa, 2005, page 2002
  27. ↑ Who's Who of Southern Africa 2007
  28. ↑ Ending Mozambique's War: The Role of Mediation and Good Offices Archived 2 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine , Cameron R. Hume, Richard Synge, US Institute of Peace Press, 1994, page 66
  29. ↑ Sant' Egidio (2003), Mozambique: Achieving Peace in Africa, George Washington University (R Morozzo della Rocca) 2003
  30. ↑ "Meridiani" Spring/Summer 1993.
  31. ↑ Business Times 23 October 1995
  32. ↑ users.iafrica.com/CTPO Board
  33. ↑ "Foreign Representatives in South Africa". Department of Foreign Affairs website. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  34. ↑ "The Cape Times" 9 April 1999
  35. ↑ Study on the Future of the ACP, ACP Group ACP/28/012/06 PAHD/AB/mjb
  36. ↑ Quarterly Bulletin of the National Library of South Africa Vol 64 No 1
  37. ↑ African Union correspondence ECO/NEPAD/21/055, 8 January 2009
  38. ↑ "International rhetoric and diplomatic discourse "African Yearbook of Rhetoric" Vol 3 No 3 2012" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  39. ↑ Former South African Ambassador on Aboriginals in Canada, The Sunday Edition, CBC Radio, 13 January 2013
  40. ↑ "False Bay Echo" 17 September 2015
  41. ↑ "People's Post 20 December 2016
  42. ↑ Footprint Press 2022 ISBN   978-1-77634-555-7
  43. ↑ Footprint Press 2023 ISBN   978-0-63980-506-1
  44. ↑ Stellenbosse Student, 1962 and 1963.
  45. ↑ Acta Diurna, 1965
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.